Gifting One Sock

This is quite OK for family members, immediate family that live under your roof! The pair will be for my husband. I gave him one finished sock for Christmas and of course he knows the other will follow very soon. These are Elisabeth Zimmerman's Woodmen Socks. I've posted the pair I made for myself a while back. I wear them a lot. I did use a wool/nylon carry along thread at the heel and toe. He even tried them on so I could guestimate the length of the foot.

Knitpicks, Shamrock in color, 'Fitzpatrick'. Used a 7 needle. CO 44 stitches, k2p2 for the pattern. Simple. It's the perfect mainstay wool sock and a quick knit with worsted weight on 6 or 7 needles. The pair I did for myself was on the 6's and for hubby on the 7's.

What did I get for Christmas? I know you knitters might not get too excited but I love this new gizmo! My Zojirushi Bread Machine. A gift to myself actually but of course the whole family benefits. So far it's been great. I've done Whole Wheat and White/Oat/Spelt and it's all wonderfully good. This bread pictured is still hot and I just ate the end piece!



Hubby came through with a gift certificate to my LYS! I found out today that they had a sale on Friday. I'll call tomorrow and hopefully hear that it's still on cause I am just so mad that I missed it. I would have, could have been there! Gee, I just remembered they are closed Mondays and of course it's part of the New Year's Holiday too. I think I missed out. 25% off is quite a bit to know I could have had if I was in the know!

Enjoy you Christmas Eve

Painting titled: EMANUEL GOD WITH US by James Seward found at AllPosters.com (click on the picture and you can view it a little larger) It's beautiful!

I hope you have a wonderful time making memories with your family and friends. I'm sure we all have special Christmas Eve traditions and continue to establish new ones.

A Cabler's Dream

Maybe not quite but almost! This is a Cable Wrap from Vogue Knitting Winter 2005/2006. I've started this over a couple times. I used the wrong size needle then counted wrong and even now I wish I had used an even larger needle. It's on a 10 but the next size might offer a little more drape but I'm not taking it out again. I think it will block to about 15 inches wide and I hope it softens too after a washing. Yarn is Peace Fleece purchased from Kary at The Knotty Sheep. It's kind of tweedy and a soft seafoam green. I bought the yarn for a shawl a while back but never knit it. This pattern just showed up and I cast on without much thought! You know how it goes with 'destashing'?

Addendum: 12/25 Project canned!!! It's too stiff, not drape at all, not wide enough for a stole and too wide for a scarf. Got about 10 inches into it and I know I wouldn't use it. Too much work for something useless. So, I have 7 skeins of this!!! Now what?

12 Christmas Facts for Our Family

I've been tagged by Jody at Gumbo Lily to share my own random 12 facts about Christmas:

1. It's all about JESUS

2. The world has lost sight about the reason for celebration

3. I love Christmas Carols

4. This is our first year for an artificial tree. We usually go cut one down.

5. My sister has given my kids an ornament every year since their birth, always from a place she has traveled.

6. Because of my sisters ornament gifts when my kids have left the nest I might have a bare tree!

7. We have a Koala Bear tree topper. Why? I don't know! We like him.

8. My children open their gifts to one another on Christmas Eve.

9. My husband does Christmas breakfast . Our 2 older sons and their friends always drop by at just the right time!

10. I refuse to travel at Christmas. Celebrating at home is important.

11. We have no outdoor lights. It's an old house and no outside outlet.

12. We gather in our bedroom and read the Christmas Story from Luke before going downstairs to open gifts. It has to be light outside before the kids can wake me up!!

I'll tag Catie and Erica.

Need a service project involving your knitting?

How about joining the Bandage Brigade? Bandages for leprosy patients in Vietnam! Found out about it here from Junie Moon scroll down to Dec. 9. Check here as well leprosybandages for tons of information and see pictures of how this can be such a blessing to a lot of people. This will be my first KAL of sorts so I am pleased it will be a helpful one. Come on. It's quick and easy with a purpose!

If you are interested in a great book about a physician that worked with leprosy patients check out, Ten Fingers For God. It's an amazing and wonderful story.

Finally finished!

A gift to mark 25 years of LOVE for my sister and her husband. It's taken me 3 years to complete this quilt probably due to my knitting habit!

She requested all neutrals. Her husband is a bluegrass musician so I included a few musical notes. At first I thought it would be kind of unexciting but I love the colors. I'll be shipping it off to Colorado tomorrow.

Scottish Shortbread My Favorite

Made some shortbread today for our Spinners and Knitters group Christmas gathering tomorrow night. I love this stuff. Butter, brown sugar and flour. It melts in your mouth. I kept thinking of some kid song so I looked up the lyrics. It wasn't shortbread at all but short'nin. Remember this?
Put on the skillet,
Slip on the lid,
Mama's gonna make A little short'nin' bread.
That ain't all She's gonna do,
Mama's gonna make A little coffee, too.
Mama's little baby loves Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves Short'nin' bread.

Kinsale Revived!

It's about time too. I don't know why this sweater has to wait so long for me to concentrate on it. My Christmas gifts few that they were are finished so I am back to what will one day be a favorite sweater I'm sure. Last night I was checking out the Kinsale's on Ravelry and was encouraged. I want to finish this before I get back to my Karabella cardigan and before I start the Pearl Buck Swing jacket that I manged to purchase yarn for in haste just a month ago. That Jaeger Extra Fine Merino is being very patient waiting to be cast on! I think Kinsale will be my manly sweater. I mean isn't gansey more masculine? The whole fisherman ideal, the Scottish coast, the moor's, the lighthouses, the waves crashing on the cliffs, etc. He awaits me now!

Knitted Nativity

Can you imagine? I would love to knit this Nativity scene. It's from Jean Greenhowe's book 'Christmas Special'. Lots of other goodies in the book as well. The Nativity is done in DK weight yarn and on size 2 needles. If you're on Ravelery check 'qualitystreet' that's her name. Go to her projects and you'll see her Christmas dolls. Click on the photo so you can see lots more pictures. My picture here is from the book. There's even Christmas Tea Cosy patterns in the book. Jean Greenhowe Designs I bought my book from here just the other day and it was sent asap! Frugal Haus I don't think I could finish all the set in a years time but it will be nice to work on and add too as each piece is finished.

Pretty and Complete

Finished this chevron patterned scarf for a certain someone. It's not your typical chevron you've seen so colorful on many a blog though. This pattern came from a calendar of knit patterns from a few years ago. I actually borrowed the pattern from my sister. The yarn is KnitPicks, 'Gloss' 70% merino, 30% silk, fingering weight with a size 5 needle. I think the recipient will be happy.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting. And His faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:4,5

Bread of Life

Yes, I know it's white (don't tell) ....... but it's King Arthur's unbleached bread flour with oatmeal. And oh so good! (Recipe on the bag) I used a food processor that is ancient and it started smoking! Guess I need a new one. Yesterday I tried whole wheat but by hand since I thought the processor would probably blow up! It was good but I need to experiment to get it to rise better and be less dense. The baking dish on the right was my grandmothers. I have one a little deeper one as well but missing the lids. I used to mix my breads in a huge Tupperware bowl but I melted that! No need to explain. Now, I use my wooden dough bowl which is more authentic anyway, right?

"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31:27

"Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
Deut. 8:3, Matt. 4:4

VETERANS DAY

America the Beautiful
Ray Charles, lyrics
Oh beautiful, for heroes proved,
In liberating strife,
Who more than self, our country loved,
And mercy more than life,
America, America, may God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain devined.
And you know when I was in school,
We used to sing it something like this, listen here:
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties,
Above the fruited plain,
But now wait a minute, I'm talking about
America, sweet America
You know, God done shed his grace on thee,
He crowned thy good, yes he did, in a brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.
You know, I wish I had somebody to help me sing this
(America, America, God shed his grace on thee)
America, I love you America, you see,
My God he done shed his grace on thee,
And you oughta love him for it,
Cause he, he, he, he, crowned thy good,
He told me he would, with brotherhood,
(From sea to shining sea).
Oh Lord, oh Lord, I thank you Lord
(Shining sea).

America the Beautiful, original lyrics
by Katharine Lee Bates
O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! (1st stanza)

It's VETERAN'S DAY, Let a Veteran know you are thankful for them.

Second Elke Satchel

Yep, it's the second Mission Falls bag. It's from their book called, Harvest. One is for my sister. As for which I am not sure yet. I just might ask her which colors she would like. I still need to line both because I'm afraid of things catching the yarn on the inside. I'm just glad to be in the 'finishing' mode! It's a great pattern if you want to practice Fair Isle!

Sausage and Spinach Quiche.


I made the best quiche last night! I took a picture of it before it was cut to pieces because it looked so good. Then my family kept saying it was the 'best' and why hadn't I made it in a while. I must say you need to use Neese's sausage to get the best. I don't have a recipe written down. I tend to add what's on hand.




This picture is my 'DESKTOP'. That is a picture of a needlepoint. I found it online a long time ago and now can't find it again. I don't even remember what kind of place it was, a blog or different website. I've searched but haven't found it. I'd love to give credit to it's creator. I think it's wonderful.

Knitting? I'm still doing that too. I missed my local knit/spin meeting last night due to a number of things. The main reason is that I was in a frustration mode about the time I should have left the house. I was frogging a fingerless glove. One completely finished, ends woven in and all! I was working on the match when I realized the first one wasn't matching the second due to an extra row. Sooooo, I took the first one apart because I was afraid I would have enough yarn. It's a one skein project and I wanted it to stay that way! I'm back on track but I was in a tizzy then and would have walked in the meeting teary eyed had I gone. All is well now or at least better.

Making progress!

Just so you know I am indeed making progress I thought I'd post some pictures even if it is a wee bit. My Icelandic shawl. So far so good it's going to be nice. The Karabella Traveling Cables cardigan, the left front. Remember the back is finished. "Someone's" merino-silk scarf, in a deep purple one skein knitted another to go. Not pictured are jaywalker socks, a Christmas stocking, Starmore sweater, a second pair of fetchings for a gift and a Mission Falls fair isle bag (2nd one). And finally being knit in my mind is the Pearl Buck Swing jacket mentioned in the last post, a shawl knitted with some Peace Fleece I have, several socks patterns that I have yarn for, a ribbed cardigan, another cardigan in some grey and red Debbie Bliss merino that I haven't the pattern for yet. AND I long to get to some crocheting too. It seems I get 'on a roll' with one thing for a few days then I pick up something else. I really want to finish something!

Next!

I didn't feel so bad after I read Sandi Wiseheart's of Interweave's Knitting Daily emails confess that she has 19 projects on needles! I counted the other day and I had 8. I was shocked. Just a short time ago I was a knitter that started and finished one knit at a time. Now look what's happened to me! So since Sandi has made me feel so much better I did this:

Yep, that's the extent of my swatching despite what I've been taught. Got the gauge now it's time to press on. I even bought the yarn the pattern calls for, Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK and from one of my favorite places that I linked in my previous post, Jimmy Beans Wool. I love this color! The pattern is Pearl Buck Swing Jacket by Kate Gilbert from Interweave Knits, Winter 2005.

Finished Fetchings!

I'm sure your tired of my fetchings posts!!! But if you knit a pair you'll see the fun. I've already ordered yarn from JimmyBeansWool. I plan on making a few pair for Christmas gifts. I love that yarn site and have found great deals there especially on Rowan yarns. The yarn I used for the fetchings is Rowan Cashsoft Aran. In a previous post I had said I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino but I was mistaken. Not sure how I made that mistake because I don't have any at all. The Rowan Cashsoft is fabulous and a great price at Jimmy Beans.

Paperclip Cables

You do what you have to do you know!! Today I had an hour wait so I knit. I came prepared or so I thought. Forgot my cable needle. I went on a paperclip hunt. About to give up and there it was, a big one, sitting in an odd place. So, that just makes me think that my God cares about the little things!!!! Probably the only paperclip in the vicinity waiting just or me! I was in a church empty preschool classroom and this paperclip is sitting on the shelf of the chalk board!! Anyway it worked great and I am almost finished with my Fetchings. This is a really nice simple pattern and a fast one too. I'm sure that without distractions one could actually knit these in a day. Oh, I think I will get the pair out of one skein!!! That leaves me with another skein for a gift pair.

A little something....

I've been knitting. It's really a chevron pattern but you sort of lack the 'chevron' with a solid yarn. I'm using Knitpicks 'Gloss' a merino/silk yarn. Very nice! I think I'm getting weak. There's a mistake but I am NOT going to take it out. I hope no one I've taught to knit is reading this because it is unlike me to leave a mistake. I didn't notice it until there was more than half yet done. I've assured myself that the receiver of this will never know!!

It will be nice and wide I think after blocking. Perhaps a Stolette! I don't want it really long because I thought of adding a nice pin to wear with it.

Still Knitting of course!

I just can't decide on what to stick with! I've casted on for way too many projects. But this one will go quickly and I love it! Knitty.com's popular 'Fetchings'. I won't link it because I'm just too lazy at the moment and most of you know the pattern anyway. For a change I used the yarn called for, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I managed to secure a few skeins at a LYS going out of business recently! I had no idea what I could do with it so I am thrilled now. Although I would have been happy just touching it occasionally! This stuff is softer than soft!!

I leave today for a 2 day trip and will have close to 12 hours driving time to knit! Can you imagine? I get to be a passenger so maybe my next post will have something finished! What? I can't be sure as I am taking several 'in the works' with me.

Made to Ravelry!

Yesterday! It's quite an operation offering a lot to us crazy obsessed knitters. If you want to find me I am 'Knitegtrity'. Let me explain! It's misspelled! I hate that. How did that second 't' get in there? It's supposed to be 'Knitegrity'. I know it's my fault that I didn't see the typo. I have emailed Casey and begged for help so we'll see. I liked the name before this happened. Leave a comment with how I can find you on Ravelry if I haven't already!

Spinning to Knit..........

How about this for the yarn I'm spinning? Sivia Harding pattern called, Victorian Shoulderette. She has wonderful patterns. Check them out! I've ordered from her before and she is so very friendly. I don't think gauge will matter. (Is that what we all say?) If anything my yarn might be a tad heavier than the fingering or sport weight it calls for. I think it'd be fine even in a worsted.

Back to Spinning............

Not that I've stopped spinning but last night I purposed to finish up something. Here is 'Meridian's Rainbow" wool that I started a few months ago. I've till got 2 bags of about 4 oz. each to go but at least one's finished. I don't have a plan as yet for the finished yarn. Perhaps a smaller shawl or caplet. It's not a laceweight. It might turn out to be a sport weight. I don't usually gravitate to blues but I a trying to expand my color horizons!

Still frogging...........

Well, not my bag but other important pieces of knitting. I wanted to knit a Sivia Harding scarf for a certain person. I'd already knit the pattern so this would be the second. (first scarf I used a fingering weight) So I tried some Kid Merino/Mohair by Crystal Palace. The pattern called for Rowan Kidsilk Haze so it's definitely comparable. It also has beads. All good except I hate mohair!!! Gosh, this stuff was the thread from H E L L. Sorry but it wasn't for me. I love the color, love the feel of the skein but knitting with it was not so good. What you see here no longer exists. I had to literally cut it off the needles! The yarn wouldn't go over the join area well at all. I also learned I would need pointier needles! I was told by Knitnana that I needed Addi Lace Needles. She ought to know!

So, I find something else that I have on hand. Yes, I am trying so hard to use up stash. I get out this Berroco called Sprite, it's ancient! It's cotton, rayon and nylon, colorful and kinda hairy in it's own way. In fact the 'threads' sticking out all over it was a nuisance. I knit about 25 rows, my beads won't work either and I might not have enough yarn since I'm using a size 8! Stop laughing!!!! Back to square one. I do have some fingering weight Peruvian alpaca/silk in a camel from Elann. That will work because the first scarf I knit was in a camel too but different yarn, Lorna's Laces! Twice is a charm, right? I start knitting that one earlier today and BANG, it occurs to me that the person this is for is not gonna like 'camel' at all. She's too flashy for that color. So after this post publishes I am off to Knitpicks for SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK and hopefully works with beads I already have too!

The Kid Mohair is soon to make it's way across these United States to Ericah's Apparently she has more patience than I do and I am more than happy to pass it on to a good home! 2 skeins flying to San Francisco!!! Wasn't that fun? And it didn't even involve a contest!!!

On a frogging note.....

.......you'd think a second time knitting the same thing that you'd breeze through it! Well, not so with my Mission Falls bag #2. Just silly mistakes but it's kill'n me!! 2 more rows last night of colorwork was ripped and remember started over twice while on vacation. I am vowing, No More! This will be smooth going from now on like the first bag was! The colors are a sage green and black. It will be nice when finished, if ever!

A Desktop American Flag!

Check this out! I think you'll want one too. I've got mine.
DeskFlag. A daily reminder of who I am!
*Remember before going to bed tonight to pray for the families touched by 09/11/01 and continue to pray for our great nation.

Nellie's glad we're back!

Are all vacations wonderful?

I'm sure there are vacation horror stories but my guess is that most are indeed wonderful. We go to Sunset Beach a nice quiet non-commercial beach north of the very commercial Myrtle Beach. Sunset is actually in North Carolina. It was our 7th year and we stay in the same house too.

As for knitting. I did a lot of frogging!!! Mainly because I just didn't read directions but I won't go into all that. I did progress on the left front of my Karabella cardigan and the top of another Mission Falls bag. Most of my knitting was done on the screened in front porch.

Reading: I finished a great book! "Follow the River" by James Alexander Thom. It's an historical fiction about the true ordeal of Mary Draper Ingles of the New River Valley a place about an hour from me. This woman was kidnapped by Shawnee Indians in 1755. She escaped and found her way home. Amazing story. Every page was exciting, really!! Adventure stories are probably my favorite. I did most of my reading on the beach.

How about some pictures!


Sunrise at Sunset Beach!

This is the path we take to the beach each day. I'm walking back to the house so the ocean is behind me. All we have to do is cross the street to this path and the oceanfront is right at the end. I love the rustic feel of this place. We see frogs and lizards among the tall grasses.

One of the most exciting things I saw was a single sea turtle make it's way from the nest to the ocean! It was about the size of a newborn's foot! So cute. Several people were standing around watching and giving cheers to 'Tina' the baby sea turtle. The next night, last night, and I was home by then but they were going to excavate and help the others along too. I bet that's a site to see hundreds at once!

Thank you, thank you, I'm off.....

to the beach with ALL my knitting that is currently on needles. I was going to take the Icelandic Shawl with me but the cast on is 339 stitches so that will wait. I'm not up for counting!
Thanks to all with the great advice, you showed no restraint and neither will I!
Have a great week!

What to take along knitwise.............

I have a dilemma. I could take it all but that would seem foolish, or maybe not. I leave for vacation tomorrow, a week at the beach. How many knit projects do I pack to take along? I have a few OTN so maybe all of them? Since I have one of these large project NanaSadieRose bags I can indeed take it ALL. I'm in the middle of 2 sweaters, mittens, socks, another Mission Falls bag and I need to knit another Euroflax face cloth. I also have a stack of books to take! Yikes! I'll get the 'eye' from my husband but I can't seem to think that I need to leave any of it behind. You?

Traveling Cables Cardigan

Here's the progress on my Karabella Traveling Cables Cardigan. The Karabella Aurora 8 yarn is really a very deep Burgundy which is not reflected well here.The first picture I posted, on the right is more true to the color. I love this pattern and hope it fits me! It sure looks small right now even though I wear a small to medium!

I'll be away this week, back on Thursday but away again by Saturday for our family beach week. I am looking forward to lots of knitting and reading. I hope I have knitting progress to report! Maybe even something finished!

Have a great week!

A Knitting break for just a wee bit of time!!

Today I needed to sew on the binding for my sister's 25th anniversary quilt. That date was in May! So now I'm down to whip stitching the binding on the back which may take a while. She's in Colorado and may be moving back to Virginia in the next couple months so I'd rather not ship it if I can give to her in person! I had Gayle quilt the top in a meandering leaf stitch. She does a fabulous job. The quilt is so busy that hand quilting wouldn't have been that noticeable and lots of work too!

Satchel Update!

RoseRed said I needed to post a pic of the 'wrong side' of the bag. (I think I may have shown a little too much pride in how good the wrong side looked!) As you can see I still have some ends to weave in!

Also here is the crocheted bottom. I thought it was a really clever way to finish a seam! It was in the instructions not my idea! Wishing I was that clever!

You Gotta Knit One....

I love this bag! I think it turned out great. I am also making another I-cord in the mustard color as well and a little longer. I-cord handle wasn't in the directions. It was a crocheted one starting with a chain of 400!! I wasn't going to do that! I didn't block it. Maybe I should to stretch the insides some since it's fair isle. I must say though that the inside looks pretty darn good too! The bottom closure was neat too. You crochet it closed. I hope I don't tire of knitting another! It's a Mission Falls pattern in their Harvest 2001 book.
I've got the yarn ready for another but I need to get back to my Karabella and Starmore sweaters. I've just proved to myself though that with determination I can finish a project from the get go without picking up and or starting another one!!! It was a rare occasion!

A few things..........

Rosie and Esther doing what they do best............relaxing!

Jaywalkers in the works in 'Austermann Step' and Elizabeth's Zimmerman's Woodman's Socks in Knitpicks, 'Shamrock' finished. The 'Shamrock' (100% wool) is great for that rustic hiking sock look. I did carry a wool/nylon thread through the heel and toes.

Hope to finish this in the next couple days! (Mission Falls Elke Satchel in their 1824 Wool)